Today is the
April 28 - National Day of Mourning
for workers killed or injured on the job.
The canary above is an illustration of a caged canary which miners used to bring into the mines with them to detect deadly gas. The canaries were more sensitive and would be affected first giving the men more time to get out. It also symbolizes workers caught in the cage of their employment and at the employers whim, and dependent on them to follow safety regulations.
I always mention how important this memorial is to me. A couple of decades ago I was in an industrial accident, through no fault of my own, that nearly cost me the use of my legs and has left me with injuries that affect me badly (and in some ways worse) even today. I'm one of the lucky ones. I lived. A lot of people don't. Please remember all the people on this day, and pray for the day when all employers will care enough about people and less about the bottom line and actually start paying attention to safety regulations in the workplace for more reasons than the fines that they'll get if they get caught with an infraction...
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